


Caeruleus

by kawaiisumi



Category: Free!
Genre: Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Sex, M/M, Mpreg, Smut, mermaid au, siren au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:46:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28106481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kawaiisumi/pseuds/kawaiisumi
Summary: When mermaids and mermen came out of the sea, their tails turned into two limbs with feet, 5 toes on each. It was like magic. The ability to walk on land, to feel sand beneath your feet.Aka, everything isn't all black and white.
Relationships: Nanase Haruka/Tachibana Makoto
Comments: 7
Kudos: 33





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Haru_yaoilover16](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haru_yaoilover16/gifts).



> This fic has been a year in the making, and is still not done yet! This was written for @Haruyaoilover16 on Twitter, who approached me about this fic literally last October/November. I've been working on it off and on since, and have been humbled and gracious for them to have so much patience for me as I complete this project for them.
> 
> I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> (Please read the tags to gauge appropriateness for yourself, as this fic deals with interspecies relationships, male pregnancy, etc.)

**Caeruleus** _ **  
** Aka, everything isn’t always black and white_.

Prologue

Everything is cold.

Cold, wet, and slimy.

Haru opens his eyes, blinking once, twice, thrice, to get the salt out of his eyes. He squints in the dimness, nursing a pounding head as he sits up. He’s sitting in the sand, wet and clumpy, bits of gritty rock getting stuck beneath his nails. He brushes his hands against his thighs, doing a double take again as he peers in awe.

He has legs.

They’re not very long; thin and white. If Haru looks hard enough, he can see a web of lacey blue-green veins under thin skin, cracks in porcelain.

He’s never seen his legs before. He wiggles his toes, amazed when they twitch. His father told him about legs before. When mermaids and mermen came out of the sea, their tails turned into two limbs with feet, 5 toes on each. It was like magic. The ability to walk on land, to feel sand beneath your feet.

Haru sticks his toes into the sand, curling to feel the grit against his skin.

His mother hated the sun. She was one of those bottom-feeder mermaids, a siren they liked to call her. With coral bony fingers and pearlescent nails, she would stroke Haru’s hair and hold him close to her breast. “Haruka… Humans aren’t like us. They don’t welcome those who are different. You are safe here, with me, and with your father, in the bottom of the ocean, where no one can find us.”

Haru touches his face and finds his cheeks wet. His skin is dry, but wetness streams down his cheeks in warmth that has never graced his touch from the bottom of the sea. It’s salty and bitter and warm all at the same time. But it feels good, and he finds his chest exhaling deep breaths as the gill on his neck closes and fuses into his skin.

“Are you crying?” A soft voice echoes along the rocky walls, a sweet silver bell that tickles ears. Haru turns and there’s a boy at the mouth of the tiny cave. His hair glows in the afternoon like it’s made from the sun itself, fluffy and soft like something Haru’s seen before in a dream.

Haru recedes, wrapping his arms tightly around his torso. “Hey, it’s okay,” the stranger says again. He takes one step forward and Haru squeaks. It’s an ugly raspy sound that vibrates in the walls. Haru’s face flushes, and he scoots away, kicking and thrashing his legs wildly. His legs get caught in the fishing net he’s sitting in, thin threadlike cords wrapping around his ankles. Haru screams. It’s a terrible sound, and the boy flinches, but rushes to his aid.

“Hey… Don’t be scared. It’s okay,” he says. He gingerly reaches out a hand, touching Haru’s cold skin as he unwinds the fishing net around his legs. “You’re freezing. Why aren’t you wearing anything?” Makoto blankets Haru with the towel around his neck. “What happened? Where are your mom and dad?” Haru frowns, shaking his head. “Don’t wanna talk? That’s okay.”

In no time, the boy has freed Haru’s legs, tossing the fishing net in an unceremonious heap beside them. He plops down into the sand, folding his legs in a strange criss-cross sort of way. “My name is Makoto. What’s your name?”

Haru hesitates, “Haru…ka.”

“How old are you? I’m seven,” Makoto says. He smiles with his teeth, so pearly and straight. Haru runs his tongue over his pointed incisors consciously.

“I’m seven,” Haru says, with a hand covering his mouth.

“We’re the same age then!” Makoto grins, touching Haru’s arm. Haru flinches violently, pulling his arm away. Makoto smile falters for a moment, but he retracts his hands, seeming to understand Haru’s wishes. “Are you all alone?”

Haru ponders the question. He supposes he really is alone now. He nods slowly, feeling the salty wetness in his eyes begin to sting. “Hey, it’s okay, don’t cry,” Makoto clasps his own hands tightly. “Can I… Can I wipe your tears?” He asks sheepishly. Haru is surprised to be asked but nods slowly. Makoto tenderly wipes his fingers along Haru’s face, “My mommy and daddy are just down the beach. Maybe we can ask them for help?”

Haru shakes his head, his pulse quickening. “No.”

“I’ll come with you,” Makoto says. “We can get help.”

His mother’s warning plays in Haru’s head over again. He needs to hide, to run away, to never be found. But looking at Makoto’s eyes feels like being found in the best and only way. “O-okay…” His fingers curl around Makoto’s sleeve.

Makoto helps him up, and the sudden weight in Haru’s legs makes his knees buckle. They walk slowly at first, Haru trembling, and Makoto as solid as a tree. The sun is so hot, so bright, when they leave the little alcove on the beach. Makoto puts his hat on Haru’s head. “You really didn’t come to the beach prepared, did you?”

Haru grunts noncommittally.

“Makoto! Where have you been?” A woman rushes over to them from underneath a massive red umbrella. She kneels in the sand before Makoto, staring at Haru intently. “Who is this?”

“This is Haruka. I found him in the cave by the dock.”

His mother makes a face, her nose bunching prettily. She has such a soft face; soft lines and sloping curves. “Haruka, where are your parents?” Haru shakes his head. Makoto’s mother runs a hand through her hair. “Where do you live?”

Haru turns his head to look at the sea. The waves lap so gently on the sand. It’s frothy and blue, and everything he has ever known. He points straight at it. The look on Makoto’s mother’s face drops so quickly, Haru’s afraid.

She glances both ways, scooping Haru up into her arms as quickly as she can. “Mommy?” Makoto squeaks, gripping on to Haru’s hands as they run quickly under the umbrella. “What’s wrong?”

Makoto’s mother doesn’t answer. She drapes more towels over Haru, nearly covering his face. She speaks in hushed tones with Makoto’s father, all while Makoto continually pleas to know what’s happening. Haru holds petrifyingly still.

“Makoto we’re going home. Get your things. Quickly now,” His father says. Makoto’s mother clutches Haru’s body close to her. It reminds him of his own mother, how she held him and rocked him to sleep every night. But there’s something nervous, something somber about the way she holds him that drops Haru’s heart into his stomach.

The family moves quickly through the sand, up the wooden steps to their little house on the coast. When everyone is inside, they shut the door and Makoto’s father locks it tight. Haru squeaks when Makoto’s mother puts him down on the tiled floor, rushing into the bathroom. “Mommy? Daddy? What’s happening?”

Haru struggles to stand on his own, but stands tall on his wobbly, knocking knees. “Don’t let it move,” Makoto’s mother yells as she rushes from the bathroom with a bucket of water. Makoto’s father grabs Haru by the arm, causing Haru to shriek.

Makoto’s mother throws the bucket of water at him, and suddenly Haru finds himself wet from head to… toe.

The gill on Haru’s neck lengthen, the ones on his chest open, and he’s falling to the floor as his legs give way for his tail. He collapses on the floor with Makoto’s father’s hand still gripped tightly around his wrist. “Oh my god…” Makoto’s mother breathes.

“Oh my god,” Makoto’s father echoes.

But Makoto just stares, first at Haru’s tail, and then at Haru’s face, and he explodes into the most beautiful smile Haru has ever seen.

\-----

“Haruka, listen to me, you be nice to all the other kids, okay?” Makoto’s mother buttons up the big knobby buttons on Makoto’s brown spring coat that is too big for him. “And if anyone asks, where are you from?”

Haru frowns. He looks at Makoto, who nods encouragingly. “… Overseas,” he mumbles into the coat’s collar.

Makoto’s mother breathes wistfully, smoothing down his shiny black hair. “Good boy. Makoto will take care of you, okay? If you need anything, you can ask him for help. He knows to call us if something happens.”

Again, Haru looks to Makoto for reassurance. Makoto smiles, “we’re in this together Haru-chan.”

“… Don’t call me that.”

Makoto’s mother helps Makoto tie his shoes, and then the three of them are out the door toward Iwatobi Elementary.

It’s loud. There are kids all over the playground running around and playing as they wait for the school bell. Makoto’s mother kisses Makoto on the cheek, and pats Haru’s head. “Be good now boys,” she says.

Makoto takes Haru’s hand, dragging him toward the sand box. “Let’s build something,” Makoto grins. He kneels, pushing sand into a large pile between the two of them. Haru watches quietly, running sand through his fingers absently.

“Who are you?” The two boys turn.

“Furata-san,” Makoto says. He smiles, but it’s different. It doesn’t quite reach his eyes in the same way Haru is used to. “This is my friend Haru. He just moved from overseas.”

Furata raises an eyebrow at Haru and Haru looks away. “You gonna say something?”

“He’s kind of shy,” Makoto interjects. He wrings his hands nervously, looking from Haru to Furata. “Right Haru-chan?”

Haru shrugs. Furata frowns, stomping into the sand box and all over Makoto’s growing pile of sand. “Say something you freak,” he demands, kicking sand into Haru’s face. Haru squeaks loudly, rubbing at his eyes, while Furata giggles. “Aw, what’re you gonna do, cry?”

“Stop it,” Makoto says with trembling lips. His eyes are all glossy, and Haru has a feeling Makoto is the one who’s going to cry before he is.

“Why should I?”

“Because I said so,” Haru finally says.

“So, you do speak,” Furata replies. “Doesn’t make you any less of a freak.”

Haru’s eyes narrow. Makoto studies his face carefully, beginning to notice the scaly black skin encroaching on the whites of Haru’s eyes. “Haru-chan, stop…” Makoto wipes his eyes, “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“Shut up Tachibana,” Furata snaps. That’s enough for Haru. He jumps up, tackling Furata to the ground and pining him by the shoulders. “What the-ow! Get off of me!”

A crowd of curious children start to gather, and Makoto begins to cry. “Stop!”

Furata tries to swing at Haru’s face, but Haru ducks and catches his arm just in time. Without much thought, he bares his teeth, and bites deep into the other boy’s arm with his rather sharp, protruding canine teeth. Furata cries out, just as a teacher runs over to separate both boys. “That’s enough! What is happening?”

“He bit me! He bit me!” Furata screams, pointing accusingly at Haru. He clutches his arm, sporting two bite size bleeds. “What’s wrong with you?”

Haru looks away indignantly, grabbing a crying Makoto by the arm. “Don’t bother Makoto again.”

The teacher is quick to usher everyone inside as the school bell rings. As the children enter the classroom, the teacher stops Haru at the door. “Haruka, we need to have a conversation with your parents.”

“He’s staying with me,” Makoto peeks his head out from the other side of the door. “Haru-chan’s parents are overseas.”

The teacher exhales long and slow. “Okay. I’m going to be calling Makoto’s parents. You’re in big trouble Haruka.”

She shoos them into the room, both boys taking their seats by the back of the classroom. The teacher starts to take attendance from the front of the room. Makoto leans forward to whisper in Haru’s ear. “Why did you do that Haru-chan?”

“… He was making you cry.”

At the end of the day, Makoto’s mother picks them up in an absolute panic. “Haruka, what on Earth did you do?”

“He bit someone,” Makoto whimpers, holding tightly to Haru’s arm. “Please don’t be mad mommy. He did it because someone was being mean to me.”

Makoto’s mother sighs tiredly. She takes both boys by the hand, “Come. Let’s go home. We need to have a talk.”

The walk home is quiet. As the boys remove their shoes in the foyer, Makoto’s mother calls them into the living room. She sits Makoto in her lap, Haru at her side. “Boys, you need to listen. Haruka… isn’t like other boys.”

Makoto’s eyes get very shiny, “Yeah, Haru-chan can turn into a mermaid!”

Makoto’s mother smiles, sifting her hands through Makoto’s hair. “That’s right sweetheart. I know you think it’s cool. But… other people… they don’t think the same way.”

“What do you mean?”

“People are scared of things that are different from them,” Makoto’s mother says.

“But Haru-chan’s not scary,” Makoto insists, looking desperately at Haru. Haru holds out his hand for Makoto to hold. “Haru-chan promises not to hurt anyone again. Right?”

Haru nods, and Makoto’s mother smiles. “I appreciate that boys, you know we just want you both to be safe.” She runs her fingers listlessly through Makoto’s hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead. Then she looks at Haru, cupping his face in her hand, “You need to be a good boy, okay Haruka?” Haru nods, looking at Makoto’s tense and pinched face melt into something of pure joy. He loves to see Makoto smile. “Okay, run along and play so I can get started on dinner.” Makoto happily obliges, scurrying across the room to flip open the toy chest, pulling out his favourite set of blocks and toy cars.

Haru sits on the couch, staring at his hands for a moment. Makoto’s mother turns on the radio, humming over it as she starts to cook dinner. But Haru can still hear the radio over the cacophony of Makoto asking him to play and Makoto’s mother julienning vegetables.

“The Japanese government was able to successfully detain two more unidentified sea creature hybrids approximately 10 miles off the coast of Iwatobi today. No press release has been issued, but the threat has been exterminated.”

\-----

They are ten when Makoto’s parents come home from the hospital with two precious little babies all snuggled up in matching onesies in matching baby carriers. Makoto gushes excitedly, fawning over the two little kids like they are the most precious thing he has ever seen. Haru feels more indifferent to their presence, content hanging back behind Makoto, peering at the little humans from over Makoto’s shoulder.

“Aren’t they so cute Haru-chan?” Makoto says. He touches his little brother’s cheek with the tip of his finger, “Oh they’re so tiny!! Mommy, are they really ours?”

Makoto’s father chuckles, scooping up Makoto and bringing him to the couch. Makoto’s mother follows behind with the two carriers, Haru trailing in behind her. “Yes they are Makoto! Your little brother and sister. You’re a brother!”

“What about Haru-chan?” Makoto asks naively, causing both his parents to shift their gaze to Haru, who stands by the archway connecting the living room to the kitchen.

“Well… Haruka… Lives with us, but he’s not your brother, remember? He lives with us so he can stay safe until he’s old enough to be by himself.” Makoto’s mother looks nervously at Haru, who shoves his hands into his pockets.

A year earlier, Haru began to develop slight webbing between his fingers and toes. Makoto had been enthralled, like he was in on some special secret. Makoto’s parents… were less excited. Every day, Haru became more and more obviously… non-human. And though they never said it out loud, Haru knew there was always going to be a part of them that was scared of him.

But he’d never tell Makoto. Makoto’s smile was the most precious thing in the world to Haru. It was one of the first things he’d ever seen of life out of the sea. He was determined to protect it at all costs. “It’s okay Makoto,” Haru says quietly. He lingers for a while, eventually excusing himself to leave them alone.

The Tachibanas have extended every kindness to him. They took him in when he had no one. They have cared for him and kept him safe all these years. Yet, somehow Haru knows he’s not a part of their family, and he yearns for something, anything, that makes him feel like he belongs somehow. He sits alone in his and Makoto’s shared bedroom, legs tucked beneath him as he sits on his bed and stares out the window.

The sun starts to set before Makoto creeps in, crawling atop Haru’s bed. “Haru-chan? Are you okay?”

Haru blinks, peering at Makoto with those glassy blue eyes. Haru’s eyes hold the sea, yet nothing at all sometimes. “I’m fine,” Haru says.

“Are you sure?” Makoto says. He frowns, throwing his arms around Haru’s neck, pulling him in close for a hug. “Don’t worry Haru-chan, even though I’m a brother now, I won’t leave you.”

“I’m not worried about that,” Haru says, though feels some sort of lump growing in his throat. He finds it difficult to talk when he gets like this, blinking hard as Makoto clings to him.

“Ran and Ren can’t replace you Haru-chan.” Makoto pulls away, smiling brightly. “They just make my heart bigger!”

That finally makes Haru smile.


	2. Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s a tenderness. A softness. An undeniable vulnerability. Haru knows, from this moment onward, there’s no turning back. He’s sure Makoto feels it too. Their relationship will never be accepted. By anyone.

**Caeruleus  
** _Aka, everything isn't always black and white._

__

Part 1

_8 Years Later_

“Hey… Hey Haru… Are you awake?”

Haru pries his eyes open, trying to blink through the sleep stuck to his eyelashes. “Mmm… Awake now. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Makoto says. He turns over in the bed, the mattress squeaking quietly when he does. “It’s just… It’s almost 8, so my mom and dad will be in soon to wake us up.”

Haru says nothing for a moment, not until Makoto is peppering soft little kisses against the shell of his ear. “Mmm… Makoto… Stop it…”

“Why? You ticklish?” Makoto teases. His lips travel down Haru’s neck, and Haru whimpers when Makoto’s lips brush against the thin gill by his carotid. Makoto hums thoughtfully but withdraws. Makoto strokes Haru’s forehead, brushing strands of stray bed head from his face. “But you really… you really should get back into your own bed.”

Haru sighs, forcing himself to slide out of Makoto’s warm bed. The floorboards are cold at this time of year. “I wish your parents didn’t care about us sleeping in the same bed. Like when we were kids.”

“But we’re not kids anymore, are we?” Makoto says. There’s a twinkle in his eye, and Haru catches it immediately. He smirks, stooping down to press a soft, tender kiss on Makoto’s surprised lips.

“No, we aren’t,” Haru says, “Happy eighteenth birthday Makoto.”

He goes to pull away, but Makoto grabs him by the collar of his shirt. “One more kiss?” He whispers. Haru shudders at the sound of his voice, eyes fluttering shut as he breathes in Makoto’s scent.

“Onii-chan!” Ran bangs her fist on the door, causing the two to rip away from each other. Haru stumbles backward into his bed, just as Ran whips open the door. Ren scurries in after her with a generous stack of pancakes, both of them piling in on Makoto’s bed. “Happy birthday!” Ran says cheerfully.

Makoto smiles, letting the twins climb over his legs and sit themselves in his lap. “We made you breakfast,” Ren says, shoving the plate under Makoto’s nose.

“It looks so delicious!” Makoto exclaims with a cheerful chuckle. “Did you make them yourself?”

“Well…” Ran looks at Ren, blushing sheepishly. “We _helped_ , but mommy made them.”

“You did such a good job helping!” Makoto says. “Let’s all eat them together!”

Ran beams, producing 4 forks from the front pocket of the apron she’s wearing. “Come join us Haru-chan!”

Haru instinctively tenses, “Me?”

“Yes you!” Ran chirps. “There’s enough for us all to share!”

“We made sure,” Ren says.

“That’s very kind of you,” Makoto takes one of the forks from Ran. “Right Haru?”

“Right,” Haru says.

He climbs back into Makoto’s bed, as though he hadn’t just spent the whole night there. Ren crawls on top of his legs, while Ran hands him a fork. “Onii-chan is eighteen today!” Ran says with her mouth full. “Now onii-chan is an adult like Haru-chan!”

“Doesn’t mean I feel like an adult,” Makoto laughs, while Haru smothers a smile behind a mouthful of pancakes.

\-----

Haru is preoccupied all day. He can’t stop staring at Makoto. When they first started to date, they made a promise. A promise that they intended to see through, today, on Makoto’s birthday. They’re in class all day, and Haru knows he should probably pay attention. The Tachibanas were gracious enough to send him to school, and it’s his last year of high school. He should be focused on his grades and getting into university, and all those things that humans do.

But none of that matters to Haru. As long as he has Makoto.

They’re in their last class of the day when Makoto catches Haru staring at him. He blushes brilliantly, hiding his face behind his books, but Haru can still see the pink tips of his ears. He smiles fondly, when he knows nobody is looking.

The walk home is unbearable. Haru thinks Makoto is doing it on purpose. Every flutter of his eyelashes, every word from his lips, just make Haru want him so badly, he thinks he might die.

When they get home, the rest of Makoto’s family is already there, sitting at the table in front of a massive, bright and sloppily frosted cake. The twins have icing in their hair, but the biggest smiles on their face. “Happy birthday onii-chan!” Ran says, grinning.

“Happy birthday,” Ren echoes.

Makoto flushes happily, taking off his shoes and taking a seat at the table. Haru lingers behind for a moment, taking the time to put his and Makoto’s shoes away in the closet. “Happy birthday son,” Makoto’s father says, ruffling Makoto’s hair.

Makoto grins bashfully, and his mother places a kiss on his cheek. “Today my baby boy is an adult! I am so proud of you,” she coos, a tender hand on Makoto’s shoulder.

Haru wonders if his parents were alive, if they would celebrate his birthday like this too. Would they care? Would they want to celebrate? How did they celebrate birthdays at the bottom of the sea?

A small lingering thought bubbles up into Haru’s mind.

_What is it like to be part of a family?_

“Haru, are you coming?” Makoto says, looking at him eagerly, with the biggest smile on his face.

For just a moment, Haru’s heart feels warm. “Yeah, I’m coming.”

The rest of the day goes by, noisily, by Haru’s standard. The twins are hyped on sugar, and the festivities for Makoto’s birthday go long past their bedtime. By the time Makoto is tucking the twins into bed, Haru is waiting anxiously in their room for Makoto.

Makoto comes in quietly, closing the door behind him. “Haru, you’re still awake?” He says.

Haru frowns. “I’m waiting for you.”

“Waiting for me?” Makoto cocks his head to one side. “You can get into bed without me. I’ll just join you when-”

“I’m not talking about going to bed,” Haru says. His voice is steady and paced, but his heart feels like it might beat right out of his chest.

“Oh,” Makoto says, before Haru’s implication sinks into his head. “ _Oh._ ”

Haru blushes embarrassedly.

“Y-you want to?” Makoto’s voice is surprisingly soft, maybe a little terrified.

Haru frowns, peeling off his shirt and throwing it on the ground. “Do you not want to?”

“What? No! No! Of course, I do…” Makoto trails off, turning his head back to look at the closed bedroom door. “I just… What if someone hears?”

“Then let them.”

It’s Makoto’s turn to frown, and he resigns tiredly, “You know we can’t do that…”

“Then we’ll be quiet.”

“You really think we can be quiet doing that?”

Haru hesitates, but says, “We can try.”

That at least makes Makoto smile. He scoots over in his bed, patting the empty spot beside him. “Come here.”

Haru sighs, kicking off his sweats so he’s left in just his boxers. He crawls into Makoto’s bed, letting Makoto wrap his strong arms around him, burying his nose into the crook of his neck. He presses kisses down the column of Haru’s neck, pausing ever so slightly to gently nip at the gill that quivers when Makoto presses his lips over it. “Ngh… Why do you always do that? Don’t you think it’s weird?” Haru says embarrassedly.

“No,” Makoto replies easily. “It’s part of you. And that means I love it, just like I love you.”

Haru blushes, warmth flushing down his neck. “You say that so easily.”

Makoto pulls back, cupping Haru’s face and staring intently into his eyes. “That I love you? It’s because I mean it Haru.”

“Even though I’m… you know?” Haru says. His gaze shifts away from Makoto’s face, feeling too vulnerable, too exposed. But Makoto always knows what to do to make him feel safe.

“Haru, I don’t love you any less because you’re not human. That doesn’t define who you are.”

“It kinda does,” Haru insists.

Makoto rolls on top of him, “Well, I don’t care, because I love you.” Haru tries to hide his face with his hands, but Makoto pries them off, pinning them above his head. “Don’t hide from me.”

Haru shivers, “I’m not.”

Makoto hums, leaning down to press a kiss on Haru’s cheek. Haru squirms beneath him, gasping when Makoto kisses down his jaw, down his neck, and sucks at his collarbone.

“Mmm… M-Makoto…” Haru shudders. His fingers grab onto Makoto’s hair, insistently tugging to bring Makoto’s head back to him, before forcing a heavy kiss on Makoto’s lips. Makoto groans into it, letting his mouth open as Haru easily slides his tongue inside. Haru swears he will never get tired of kissing Makoto. The way it feels to have his body fire off the most electric signals as Makoto tastes his mouth; like he is dying to breathe and Haru is his air. Haru moans, as Makoto leans into him, one hand grabbing the headboard of the bed for support, the other intertwining his fingers with Haru’s as they hold on to each other tight.

“Shh… Haru… my parents are in the next room,” Makoto whispers, pulling his wet lips from Haru’s own.

“Well, I don’t care,” Haru says, throwing Makoto’s words back at him. His legs snake around Makoto’s hips, pulling him in close, their hips flush. He knows Makoto wants him, the way his cock strains against his underwear, hot and heavy against the thin fabric of Haru’s boxers. “I want you.”

Makoto groans, smothering Haru’s words with his lips. Haru feels blindly for the waist of Makoto’s underwear, peeling it down his legs. Makoto’s cock springs up, pressed against his abdomen. The head drips with precome, slick against Haru’s skin. They’ve never gone this far before, but Haru wants it. God, he wants it; wants to be with Makoto, be Makoto’s everything, have Makoto’s everything. He wraps his hand around Makoto’s shaft, pumping slowly until Makoto is whimpering into his mouth. “Haru… Oh my god… Haru…. Mmm… If you don’t stop…”

“Be quiet Makoto, your parents are in the next room,” Haru says, his tone is sardonic, but his words light fire in Makoto’s belly. Makoto swallows back a grunt, his hips canting rhythmically into the squeeze of Haru’s hand.

“Haru… hah… gonna… gonna come….” Makoto shudders. His voice barely reaches a whisper, struggling to suppress his voice as his head tips back in a silent moan. Haru moves his hand faster, his lips pulling from Makoto’s face to latch onto his neck. He sweeps his tongue across Makoto’s jugular, about to sink his teeth into that tender skin, “Mmm… Haru… no visible marks…” Makoto whines, dragging Haru’s head down toward his collarbone. Haru groans, sinking his pronounced incisors into the tender skin until Makoto is shaking in orgasm. Streaks of come paint Haru’s chest, and Makoto’s hands find Haru’s hair to pull his head back, crashing his lips over Haru’s to muffle his wanton moans inside Haru’s mouth. Makoto thrusts his hips into Haru’s hands, thighs trembling, until it hurts, and he’s using his other hand to pry Haru’s hands away.

“Did you like it?” Haru asks.

“God Haru…” Makoto pants, “God… yes.” Makoto’s got a hungry look in his eye Haru has never seen before. It fills his belly with warmth, a prickling anticipation flooding between his thighs, as his erection throbs painfully.

Makoto nuzzles his face into Haru’s neck, mouthing at his gill until Haru is breathing ragged. “Ah… Makoto… Not there, not there…” Haru whimpers.

“Does it feel good?” Makoto asks, his hands pushing down Haru’s sweats. Haru lifts his hips without thinking, parting his thighs as Makoto runs a hand over the swell of his ass. “Your body is so warm…” Makoto says.

One hand wraps around Haru’s cock, and Haru’s muscles spasm at the touch. But Makoto’s weight over his body pins him down, licking another strip down his neck, subduing him into a welcome submission. “Shh… I’ve got you Haru,” Makoto says. He thumbs the head of Haru’s cock, spreading precome over the tip. “Do you wanna come?”

“I want it,” Haru breathes. Makoto’s touch makes his vision blurry around the edges, eyes narrowing, eyelids fluttering shut, as he loses himself in pleasure. One of Makoto’s hands pumps his aching cock, while the other slides between his legs, between Haru’s thighs that just part so perfectly for him.

“You’re so warm here,” Makoto says, the tip of his finger grazing Haru’s rim. Neither Makoto nor Haru knows much about Haru’s biology, but Makoto is fascinated by the slick fluid the weeps from Haru’s rim.

Haru whimpers, an instinct deep within him thrusting his hips down into Makoto’s fingers, allowing Makoto to easily slide in his index and middle finger. Haru squeezes tight around him, and they’re both seeking out each other’s lips to smother the moans vibrating through their chests. Makoto curls his fingers, brushing up against a tender and spongy section of skin that has Haru seeing stars. “Mmm!” Haru moans, the seal of his lips breaking from Makoto’s for just a moment. Makoto forcefully slides his tongue into Haru’s mouth to silence him, curling his fingers over and over again into that spot. Tears spring from Haru’s eyes, an overwhelming blossom of pressure growing in his abdomen. He feels empty. He wants more; _needs more_ , needs Makoto, and is filled with an instinctual, undeniable need to be filled…

Haru comes so hard, everything goes white. He’s not sure if he’s made a sound, but he really hopes he hasn’t. His nerves fire off so many signals of pleasure, it almost feels like pain. But he knows, he feels, Makoto holding him through the whole thing. When his sight starts to return, Haru feels Makoto slide his fingers out, and his other hand loosens around his softening cock. “Did that feel good Haru-chan?”

“Mmm,” Haru tries to answer. His muscles feel like jelly, but in that loose limbed, endorphin high, kind of way.

Makoto chuckles warmly, pressing a kiss to Haru’s forehead. “I love you,” he says. Haru wants to stay like that forever. Makoto’s skin against his own, their bodies as close as they can possibly be. Makoto moves to get up, and Haru whimpers, clutching on to him tight. “Hey, it’s okay,” Makoto soothes him, “I’m just getting a towel. It won’t be nice to fall asleep all sticky.”

Haru begrudgingly relinquishes Makoto from his hold. Quietly, Makoto pads across the room, cracking open the closet door to fish out a towel. He returns to bed, not a moment too soon, and Haru is latching on to him once more.

Haru himself is not sure why, but right now, he can’t let Makoto out of his grasp. He wants… _needs_ Makoto beside him – in a way that just feels unbearable. Makoto gently wipes himself down and then focuses all his attention on Haru. When they’re clean, Makoto lets Haru cling to him as much as he wants.

Haru feels restless. Makoto’s eyelids are heavy, as he fights off sleeping to comb his fingers through Haru’s hair. “Makoto,” Haru says.

“Yes?”

“Can I do something?”

Makoto pauses for a moment. “What do you need Haru?”

Haru isn’t sure what he needs, but his body seems to react before he does. He lifts his head, burying his face into the crook of Makoto’s neck and inhaling deeply. He stays like that a moment, before he bares his teeth and bites. Makoto flinches from the sudden intrusion but relaxes when Haru slackens his jaw and withdraws.

Somehow, Haru feels better.

“You seem relaxed now,” Makoto says, noting the way tension dispels from Haru’s body.

“… I am,” Haru replies, somewhat mystified. He stares at the tiny bite marks on Makoto’s neck, two pinpricks of blood pooling at the surface. He wipes the pad of his finger across them, “Sorry. I don’t… I don’t know why I did that.”

Makoto smiles that gentle smile at him, “That’s okay Haru. I can… work it out tomorrow,” Makoto sheepishly rubs the blossoming bruise, before he smooths Haru’s hair away from his forehead, “Do you think you can sleep now?”

As Makoto says that, the fatigue and utter exhaustion finally washes over him. He finally feels satiated, comfortable. “Mhm,” Haru mumbles sleepily, letting himself fall loose in Makoto’s arms. “Makoto?”

“Yes Haru?”

“Happy birthday.”

Haru’s heavy eyelids have closed, but he can hear the smile in Makoto’s voice. “Thank you.”

\-----

Upon some later googling on his phone the next morning, Haru discovers that yesterday, he claimed Makoto as his own. “What does that mean?” Makoto asks, as they squeeze in front of the bathroom counter to brush their teeth.

Haru pockets his phone, squeezing a dollop of toothpaste on his toothbrush. “When I bit you… on the neck. I was staking a claim.”

Makoto rubs sheepishly at his neck. Today, he’s wearing a high neck sweater to cover all the bite marks and bruises that litter his skin. “I still don’t really get it…”

“I don’t either,” Haru replies. There’s so much he doesn’t know about himself. There are so many things he never got to learn from his biological parents. It takes ages for him to find any information about merpeople or sirens or _anything_ that could tell him what it means to be… whatever he is. “But on this one website I found, it says that in legends, sirens claim their mate by biting them here.” He points to his own gill, which sits flush against his skin when unagitated. “I think… I think I was doing that to you.”

“Instinctually?” Makoto raises a brow, as Haru hands him the toothpaste.

“Maybe,” Haru hesitates. “I-is that… okay?”

Makoto flushes, sheepishly hiding his face with his arm. “It is! If anything… it.. it makes me really happy.” He looks at Haru with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, “I’m really happy you chose me as your mate Haru.”

Haru feels embarrassment bubble in his stomach. “As if I would choose someone else,” he says, sticking his toothbrush in his mouth.

Makoto giggles to himself, knowing Haru has trouble being honest with himself. Yet, he loves him all the same.

“Onii-chan!” Ran bursts into the bathroom without knocking, Ren trailing behind her. “You and Haru-chan started without us!”

Makoto laughs, while Haru shrugs indifferently. “Oh yes, sorry about that. Did you two sleep well?” Makoto slides the step stool beside the sink to the front so Ran and Ren can climb up.

“Yeah, it was okay. There were some weird sounds last night. But they stopped after a while.”

Makoto’s face instantly freezes, and he laughs again, but it’s tight and quiet. “R-really? What kind of sounds?”

“Like weird voices,” Ren says, reaching for his toothbrush. “Almost like ghosts!”

“Two ghosts!” Ran agrees.

Makoto looks at Haru frantically. “Maybe the house is haunted,” Haru says.

“So scary!!” Ran squeals, grabbing onto Makoto’s leg, and getting toothpaste on his pants. “Haru-chan can we sleep in yours and Makoto’s room tonight?”

“… I guess,” Haru replies after a long pause.

None the wiser, the twins brush their teeth and scurry downstairs when their mother calls them. When the door shuts, Makoto buries his face in his hands, the blush creeping down his neck. “Haru they _heard_ us!”

“You don’t know that, maybe the house is haunted,” Haru says. He cracks a smirk, but Makoto isn’t laughing.

“Haru I’m serious!”

“They’re just kids. It’s okay. They don’t know what it was.”

“If they heard, what if my parents heard?” Makoto asks.

“Then we figure it out. But we can’t change what already happened, can we?”

Makoto sighs. “Yeah… I guess you’re right.”

The mood of the room has shifted into something that makes Haru uneasy. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be sorry Haru,” Makoto frowns. He reaches for Haru’s face, but he shies away.

“If I were normal, we wouldn’t have to worry about these things,” Haru says, that awful lump in his throat swelling again. He tries to swallow, but it won’t go away.

“I don’t want you to be normal. I want you to be _you_ ,” Makoto replies adamantly. This time, he grabs Haru by the hand, holding his hand to his neck. “You claimed me, remember? We’re in this together.”

His other hand pulls back the collar of Haru’s shirt, until his collarbone is exposed. “Makoto, what are you-”

Makoto brings his lips to Haru’s skin, biting down just enough to bruise, but not enough to break skin. Haru shivers when Makoto pulls away, setting his shirt back in place. “There. You’ve claimed me, and now I’ve claimed you.”

Haru’s eyes feel watery, and he blinks furiously. “Stupid… You didn’t have to do that.”

“But I wanted to.”

Haru looks at the ground, before letting himself meet Makoto’s eyes; dazzling and warm that make everything feel right. “… Then I’m glad you did.”

\-----

Their dates are mundane by anyone else’s standards. With an untrained eye, no one could be the wiser that Makoto and Haru were lovers. It’s just after dinner; the two walking along the boardwalk behind the Tachibana house. Makoto knows it’s Haru’s favourite place. He’s drawn to the beach, to the ocean. Haru is content staring at the sea for hours. He gets this glimmer in his eyes, that reminds Makoto that the ocean will always be his first home. Sometimes he wishes he could be a part of that home; a part of the world Haru will always be tied to, and one that Makoto will never have a place in.

Haru walks on the side closest to the sea. His hand sways gently in the space between him and Makoto; wanting to hold his hand, but not wanting anyone to see. The sun touches the ocean in hues of deep gold and orange, like the sea is on fire, burning bright in the reflection of Haru’s eyes. If he looks close enough, Makoto can catch the shimmers in Haru’s skin, where the translucent scales on his neck cover his gill.

“Haru,” Makoto says, his fingertips brushing against the skin of Haru’s neck before he really thinks about it.

Haru twitches at the touch, shivering. He recoils slightly, “… People stare, Makoto.”

Makoto thinks he loves Haru so much sometimes he forgets himself. “Sorry,” He says. “You just look so beautiful in this light.”

“Stop saying embarrassing things like that,” Haru replies, but the blush creeping down his neck tells Makoto all he really needs to know. The boardwalk comes to an end, and the sand sifts beneath their feet.

“Do you remember this place Haru?” Makoto asks, looking both ways before slipping his hand in Haru’s.

Haru hesitates a moment, eyelids lowered as he gazes around. When he’s comfortable that no one’s watching them, he squeezes Makoto’s hand. “Of course, I do,” He says. They pause, listening to the waves lap against the shore. “This is where you found me all those years ago.”

That alcove is still there after all those years. A slick layer of algae has painted the rocks, but Haru will always remember it. The slim opening of the cave looks out to the beach, staring at the trees that forest the outskirts of Makoto’s neighbourhood. “Were you scared?” Makoto asks, “Of me, I mean.” Haru glances at Makoto from the corner of his eye, enticed by the pink glow spreading across the shell of his ears.

“You were the only thing I wasn’t afraid of,” Haru replies, painfully honest, painfully vulnerable.

Makoto swallows hard, blinking harshly. “Haru-chan I don’t know if that makes me happy or sad.”

“It can be both,” Haru says. They crawl into the alcove to sit, “And lay off the -chan.”

This little pocket in the sea feels so much smaller than when they were children. It’s a little cold, and it’s a little wet. Haru feels the webbing between his fingers become more prominent as he threads wet sand between them. Yet, somehow Haru feels warmer, with Makoto beside him. They sit in silence for a while, listening to the waves crash on the shore, and the sound of each other’s breath. “Haru?” Makoto says finally.

“Yeah?”

Makoto cups Haru’s face, a thumb brushing over his cheek, over his lips. Haru shivers, his mouth parting in anticipation of Makoto’s lips on his own. “I love you,” Makoto whispers. A tender secret for only the two of them. In the place where at one time, it was just them, and no one else.

Haru gasps when he feels Makoto’s other hand slide up his torso, his head dipping in the junction between Haru’s neck and his shoulders. “Makoto…” Haru whines. Makoto mouths at his gill that twitches and lengthens from the stimulation. Haru opens his mouth and pants.

“Haru…” Makoto breathes, his hand dipping below Haru’s shirt to touch his skin. “I want to make love to you. Even if it’s just this once.”

Makoto’s fingertips brush his nipples, already hard and sensitive. “It’s not fair for you to ask me that when you’re touching me like this…” Haru says, panting futilely.

Makoto chuckles warmly, slipping Haru’s shirt over his head, pressing his bare back into the sand. Makoto’s body blankets over him, and Haru can feel Makoto’s erection against his thighs. “I’m sorry, I just can’t resist you Haru.”

“Even with the way I am?”

Makoto tenderly brushes the hair from Haru’s face, kissing up Haru’s neck to his jaw, and the shell of his ear, “I want you for everything you are. Every bit of you.”

Haru’s legs spread easily when Makoto slips his thigh between them. Haru feels like he’s melting; melting into Makoto’s embrace, melting into love he’ll never be able to live without, and oh, his body aches. His body aches to be with Makoto, to take everything Makoto has to offer him, to give Makoto everything he has. “I want… I want to be with you,” Haru says, his voice simmering below a whisper. “I want you to have everything Makoto. I love you.”

Makoto pulls back a moment when he hears this. He searches Haru’s eyes like Haru’s search the seas. Haru blushes, “W-what?”

“Oh,” Makoto says, staring down at Haru with misty eyes. “I-it’s just… That’s the first time you’ve ever said you love me.”

There’s a quiet moment, Haru drinking in the sight of Makoto looking at him. “… Of course I love you,” Haru says finally, awkwardly.

“I know, I’m… I’m just happy to hear you say it.” Makoto says finally, laughter on his lips, “I love you too.” The kiss he places on Haru’s lips is searing. Haru’s eyes squeeze shut as Makoto devours him, like he’s an oasis Makoto will never get to have again. Needy hands find the waistband of Haru’s shorts, inching them down until Haru feels sand against his skin, his cock standing tall, trembling.

Haru feels like he’s on fire, like every bit of him is made up of nerve endings that react to Makoto’s touch. “Ah… M-Makoto…”

Makoto hums amusedly, kissing slowly down Haru’s neck. He peppers Haru’s skin in kisses that will surely leave bruises, strong hands prying apart Haru’s legs. “You’re already so warm here…” Makoto breathes. His palms stroke Haru’s inner thighs, and Haru stiffens, his cock twitching as Makoto teases him. Slow, feather soft fingertips against his skin, pulling all his blood down into his groin, as Makoto’s fingers circle his thighs over and over again.

Haru shudders, his voice but a quaking whisper, “M-Makoto…” He says, trying to breathe. “Makoto no more teasing… please…”

Makoto smiles and it feels like surely, he’s tasted what heaven is like. “No more teasing,” Makoto agrees. Haru latches his legs around Makoto’s hips as he shimmies down his shorts, just enough so Haru can pull down his underwear. Makoto is hard, his cock thick and flushed. Haru feels a rush of endorphins flood through his blood, and he can barely think straight. He calls for Makoto, hands threaded through strands of hair, as Makoto presses the head of his cock into Haru’s opening. “God…” Makoto sounds like he’s about to cry, disbelieving and high on the insane rush of being with Haru fully, after all these years.

“A-a-ah..” Haru shudders into the shell of his ear, and Makoto thrusts his hips forward until his hips meet Haru’s skin. They both groan; Haru aches, Makoto’s cock sinking inside him like it was made for him. He feels like he could split into two, and Makoto would fill all the spaces in between him. He feels complete for the first time in his life – like he was born to have Makoto as his mate.

“Ha… Haru… I can’t… I won’t… last…” Haru hears Makoto say, as his hips begin to move.

Oh. _Oh._

Haru moans, crying out as Makoto’s cock drags through his insides, firing off all the right signals, touching all the right places, until Haru is absolutely writhing in pleasure. The sound of his voice echoes through the rocks, singing with the obscene sound of skin on skin, but Haru can’t hear any of it. His hands fist the sand, the grit clinging to his fingernails, as Makoto rocks into him. Makoto’s hips move faster, his abdomen rubbing against Haru’s aching dick, and Haru almost comes right then. He only sees Makoto. Only feels Makoto. Only _needs_ Makoto. Makoto’s pistoning into him now, and his cock is swelling, and Haru knows they only have a few more moments until everything is over. But God, he wants to savour this moment. He wants to imagine their lives can always be like this. That Makoto can be his, and no one could say anything, just the two of them, and their bodies and the love they share that no one can touch.

Makoto comes first, crying as his semen comes in thick heavy spurts. It’s sticky and messy, and it should feel gross, but Haru feels so warm and satiated his head is dizzy with hormones. He yearns to be full, yearns to be filled, with everything Makoto has to offer him. Just the thought makes his body squeeze tightly, sucking Makoto in, until he can’t pull away. Makoto makes one final grunt, thrusting in and holding his position there as he empties himself inside, until he can’t possibly come anymore. Haru groans, feeling Makoto’s cock twitch within him, feeling the warmth of his semen paint the inside of his body white. Makoto reaches for Haru’s cock, pumping his hands around Haru’s shaft until Haru is screaming, ejaculating all over Makoto’s chest. “Makoto… Makoto… enough…” Haru gasps, as Makoto slowly releases his softening cock. Makoto pulls out, as they both watch his come drip from Haru’s legs, too stunned, too delirious to say anything.

Makoto inhales heavily, mustering up the breath to kiss Haru like heaven lies inside his mouth. “I love you Haru… I love you…”

There’s a tenderness. A softness. An undeniable vulnerability. Haru knows, from this moment onward, there’s no turning back. He’s sure Makoto feels it too. Their relationship will never be accepted. By anyone.

But the love that they feel is so real, it’s downright terrifying. To be eighteen, knowing each other since childhood, and knowing, undeniably, that there will never be anyone else they can share their life with. Haru wants nothing but Makoto. But he knows. They will never be the same again, from this moment on.

“I love you too,” Haru caresses Makoto’s cheek, searching his beautiful green eyes that are glossy with tears.

“Promise me. No matter what. It’s you and me,” Makoto says. His lips tighten, brushing his fingertips against Haru’s cheek.

Haru feels his heart swell, a saltwater rush of emotions that sweep through his chest. “I promise,” He says, letting Makoto lay his head on his chest, and they stay there in each other’s arms for a long, long time.

\-----

“Is something wrong Haru?”

Makoto’s voice breaks Haru out of his dazed stupor. They’re walking along the boardwalk, the late afternoon sea breeze whistling on by. “Huh?” Haru says lamely.

“You’ve been spacing out a lot lately. Are you okay?” Makoto asks. His concern sinks into the frown lines of his face, creasing in the fold of his eyebrows.

“You worry too much,” Haru says. He rakes a hand through his hair, squeezing his eyes tight before opening them up wide. Lately, he’s been feeling off. He’s always felt different going from summer to fall, the seeping chill of an oncoming winter making him want to go into hibernation. But this year feels different somehow. His body _aches_ , he wakes up in the morning feeling sore all over, always tired, always hungry, but always queasy. He hasn’t said anything to Makoto. Haru knows it will only worry him. But the deepening lines in Makoto’s forehead tell him that Makoto will worry regardless. “… I guess I’m not feeling very well,” Haru admits finally.

Makoto’s eyes widen. “Are you okay? Do you have a fever?” He puts a warm hand on Haru’s forehead, the other grabbing onto Haru’s arm to hold him still. “You’re all clammy Haru.”

“No fever,” Haru says, squirming in Makoto’s grasp. “My stomach just feels upset.”

“Mom always says it’s because you don’t eat enough… and you only eat mackerel.”

“Well, she’s not _my_ mom, so she can’t tell me what to eat or not eat,” Haru says with a frown. “Besides, mackerel would _never_ do this to me.”

That makes Makoto chuckle. He slides his hand into Haru’s, sweeping his gaze over their surroundings to make sure no one is watching. “Still, you should rest when we get home. You don’t want it to get worse.”

Haru agrees to make Makoto happy. When they get home, he slides into his bed in a pair of Makoto’s sweatpants, as Makoto reads their homework out loud to him. Haru thinks he’d feel better submerged in the tub, but Makoto’s given him a hot water bottle for his tummy, and his favourite stuffed orca for company, Haru can’t bring himself to leave.

He falls asleep at some point while Makoto is reading their English homework. He wakes up to Makoto changing into his pajamas. His glasses are perched on his nose, his contacts safely stowed away for the end of the day. “What time is it?” Haru groans, sitting up in bed. His muscles ache, and his stomach clamps up unhappily.

“It’s almost midnight,” Makoto says. “Haru, are you sure you’re okay? Your face is so pale.”

“It’s fine,” Haru says stubbornly. He swings his feet over the bed, “You go to bed. I’m just… gonna go to the bathroom.”

“You don’t need me to come with you?” Makoto asks, though crawls into bed when Haru gives him that _look_.

“I’ll be fine,” Haru says, shutting the door to their bedroom behind him. He pads down the hall to the bathroom, which is thankfully on the other side of the house. Haru’s barely able to toss the door open before he’s scrambling for the toilet, throwing up the upset contents of his stomach until his head feels fuzzy. He’s only able to catch his breath a moment later.

Haru props his back against the side of the tub, flushing away the evidence. He takes a deep breath, a hand massaging his queasy stomach. He doesn’t know what he ate that’s making him feel so awful, but he hopes it’ll be gone by tomorrow.

Haru rises from the floor, hugging himself tight to stop himself from shaking so much. _What is wrong with me?_ He thinks, splashing his face with cold water. When he’s satisfied that the ashen green colour is gone from his face, Haru walks back to the bedroom.

Maybe he really is coming down with something, he wonders, sliding into Makoto’s bed. “You good?” Makoto murmurs sleepily, wrapping his arms and legs around Haru like he’s a big pillow.

“I’m fine,” Haru says, to himself probably.

“Good,” Makoto says, pressing a kiss to Haru’s forehead.

The next day, Haru stays home from school. When he wakes up, he’s so tired, he can barely see. Makoto frets, laying Haru down in his own bed, and wiping his face down with a towel. “Haru-chan, maybe I should stay here with you today…” Makoto says.

“No -chan,” Haru replies. “I’m _fine_. Your parents will think it’s weird if you stay here all day to take care of me.” He catches the glossiness in Makoto’s eyes, and frowns. “Come here.” He wraps his arms around Makoto, who settles his head against Haru’s chest. “I probably just caught a cold. You worry too much.”

“I can’t help but worry about you,” Makoto murmurs against his chest. “I love you.”

“You’re embarrassing,” Haru says, but Makoto catches the tips of his ears turning red.

Makoto finally smiles, “But you love me.” He eyes the closed door before pressing a soft kiss to Haru’s lips. Haru sighs contently, his eyes fluttering closed. “I’ll let you rest then. Call me if you need anything, okay?”

“Mhm,” Haru says, eyes closed and already dozing off.

The next time he awakens, it’s the middle of the afternoon. He can smell the traces of Makoto’s mother’s cooking, and it instantly revives the nausea swimming in his stomach. He sits up suddenly, surprising Makoto, who’s sitting at his desk. “Haru? Are you okay?”

“…’m fine,” Haru says, swallowing hard. He shuts his eyes, trying to take deep breaths and quell his tossing stomach.

“Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?” Makoto asks. He gets up from his desk, sliding onto Haru’s bed. He cups Haru’s cheek, a chaste kiss to Haru’s lips. His eyes are pleading, and the tender smile on his face makes Haru want to melt away.

“Another… another kiss wouldn’t be bad,” Haru mumbles.

The tips of his ears turn pink, and Makoto chuckles warmly. “That, I can do,” Makoto says. His hand slides from Haru’s cheek to the back of his neck, pulling Haru in slowly for a long and lingering kiss. Haru moans softly into Makoto’s mouth, as Makoto’s tongue slips past his parted lips. Makoto groans, climbing on top of Haru, until Haru’s head hits the pillows, the warmth of Makoto’s body sprawled on top of him.

“Haru…” Makoto breathes, his knee instinctually sliding between Haru’s legs, which just part so perfectly for him. Makoto pulls away, breathless and heady. “My mom went to the grocery store half an hour ago. She’ll be back soon.”

Haru whimpers, “We’ll finish before she gets back.”

“We can’t,” Makoto says, but his body says the opposite. His hands drag across Haru’s hipbones, pelvis rolling slowly into Haru’s waiting body. “God…” Makoto breathes.

Haru’s hands are already on the button of Makoto’s pants, pushing them down with his underwear far enough until Makoto’s cock springs to full attention. Haru all but drools. “Please… Please Makoto… I want it…” He wraps a slender hand around Makoto’s dick, and Makoto begins to crumble. His head falls to rest on Haru’s shoulder, grunting as he cants his hips into the squeeze of Haru’s hand.

“Haru… not fair…” He gasps, Haru fluttering the flat of his thumb against the head, spreading precome over the tip. “Oh… oh… oh…” Makoto chants, all but coming apart in Haru’s hands. Haru knows they’re far too gone to stop, kicking his sweats down to his ankles so he can spread his legs wide. In some instinctual understanding, Makoto presses his hips hard into Haru, the tip of his cock kissing Haru’s weeping rim, which pulses and twitches at the thought of Makoto’s cock.

Makoto’s breathing is heavy, high on teenage hormones, and staring lustfully at the object of his affections. “Just… just a little bit,” Makoto says, more to convince himself, before he thrusts deep into Haru. Haru’s back arches, as he takes Makoto in fully. He feels Makoto’s cock swell as he squeezes him, rolling his hips to the rhythm of Makoto’s sloppy thrusting. “Oh god Haru, oh god,” Makoto whimpers through laboured breaths.

Haru takes guilty pleasure in riling up Makoto like this, an electrifying rush of arousal tingling through his spine as Makoto bends him in half, throwing his legs up over Makoto’s shoulders as Makoto thrusts fast and deep into him. “Makoto….” Haru groans, legs spread as Makoto decimates him. His eyes roll backward as Makoto slams his cock into Haru’s prostate, and he twitches so mightily, he thinks he might pass out if he orgasms.

“Haru…”

“Makoto…”

Pleasure begins to build deep in Haru’s groin, whimpering breathy moans until Makoto is tucking his fingers into Haru’s mouth to quiet them. “Haru… gonna come… gonna… ah… ah…” Makoto pulls back, to thrust in once more inside, and Haru knows it will spell Makoto’s end.

“Wait,” Haru says, reaching down and squeezing firmly at the base of Makoto’s penis. Makoto groans harshly, twitching so hard, he’s shaking like a leaf. “Together… Makoto… Want to… come with you…”

Makoto moans, pulling Haru’s hand away from his cock, and wrapping his own larger one around Haru’s ignored dick. “Together then,” Makoto says through gritted teeth, beginning to pump Haru’s cock to the rhythmic thumping of his hips against Haru’s ass.

Haru writhes, body twisting mightily as his orgasm begins to overtake him. “Oh… god…” Haru grunts, “Makoto… I-”

“Oh my god!” A loud thud crashes through Haru’s consciousness, tumbling him forward back into reality.

“Mom?!” Makoto screeches, pulling the covers up over his and Haru’s exposed bodies. Haru looks past Makoto to find Makoto’s mother in the doorway, a basket of laundry all over the floor at her feet.

“I-” She blinks a couple times, sucking in a deep breath, which Haru can only interpret as her about to cry.

“Mom… Let me explain…” Makoto scrambles to get out of bed and pull up his pants, but Makoto’s mother is backing out so fast.

“I… I need a moment,” she says, she runs her shaking hands through her hair, eyes darting back and forth between Haru and Makoto. It leaves a foreboding feeling in the room to sink into Haru’s stomach. “I’m going to finish dinner. We’ll… we’ll talk about this later.” She shuts the door hard behind her, leaving Makoto with his pants around his thighs in the middle of the room, and Haru under the covers.

The silence in the room is unbearable. “M-Makoto…” Haru tries to say, but Makoto shakes his head, fumbling to button up his pants. His hands are shaking helplessly, and Haru clenches his jaw, trying to restrain himself from reaching out to hold them steady.

Makoto’s voice comes out all choked up, “This… is bad, Haru. _Really bad._ ” He swallows down the hard lump in his throat, fresh tears sliding down his face in the most heartbreaking waterfalls Haru has ever seen.

“Shhh…” Haru scrambles out from the covers, holding Makoto close to him. If there’s anything he knows in this world, it’s that Makoto means everything to him. He will give up everything for Makoto’s happiness. “Things will be… okay. We’ll work this out somehow. You and me. I’ll fix this.”

Makoto crumbles into his embrace, “Haru… If anything happens to you… I won’t be able to forgive myself.”

“Me?”

“I… I _know_ what they do to hybrids from the sea…” Makoto trails off, unable to make himself continue on. “If you’re not safe here, I don’t know where we’ll go. I can’t lose you. I can’t.”

“You’re not losing me,” Haru says, an unintended edge to his voice. Makoto pulls away slightly, seating himself on the foot of the bed. He puts his head in his hands, trying to breathe. Haru feels an uncomfortable sting in his eyes, blinking harshly until the room is flashing in and out of his vision. “Makoto… what… what do I do?” Haru asks. He feels an overwhelming feeling spreading through his chest. He doesn’t know what it is. Sadness? Anger? Fear? But what he does know is his body is trembling and he just can’t stop.

Makoto looks up at him and his eyes soften, “Oh Haru…” He cups Haru’s cheek in his hand, running his thumb over wet skin. Haru doesn’t remember starting to cry. “Did I scare you? I’m sorry.”

Haru pulls away shyly, wiping messily at his face with his fingers. The wetness of his tears brings out the webbing in his fingers, a bitter reminder that he will never be enough for Makoto in anyone’s eyes. He feels powerless. “Stupid Makoto,” Haru grumbles, “stop worrying about me and worry about yourself.”

Somehow, Makoto finds it in himself to chuckle, reaching again for Haru’s face, his thumb sliding down Haru’s neck. The pad of his finger finds Haru’s hidden gill, and Haru whimpers. “I love you, of course I’m going to worry about you.”

Haru lets his head rest on Makoto’s shoulder, “Did you mean what you said?”

“About what?”

“That I’m not safe here?”

Makoto’s eyes settle into a frown. “I… I don’t know. Mom and dad have cared for you since we found you all those years ago. But this…” Makoto sighs heavily, swallowing hard, “I don’t want to cause them pain. Living here… Like this…”

“Then let’s get out of here,” Haru says.

“W-what? What do you mean?” Makoto’s eyes widen.

“Makoto, I love you,” Haru says, grabbing Makoto’s hand and holding it close to his chest.

“W-well yes! I k-know that and I love you too…”

Haru’s face is so sincere and full, full of more life than Makoto has ever seen. “So, move in with me. I’ll go anywhere. As long as I have you.”

\-----

To say dinner is awkward is an understatement. The twins are none the wiser, happily chattering on about their day, while Makoto’s mother and father keep glancing at each other. Makoto is quiet, picking through his food, shifting it around his plate but never eating any of it. Haru’s not sure if the nausea in his stomach is because of the food poisoning or dread.

“Ran… Ren… Go wash up for bed,” Makoto’s mother finally says.

The twins push away from the table, and Haru starts to gather up all the dishes on the table. He dumps them into the sink and turns on the faucet, listening quietly as Makoto talks to his parents.

“Mom, dad, I need to talk to you,” Makoto says, with a meek and tiny voice.

Makoto’s mother is already crying, and his father just nods. Haru runs his hands under the faucet, feeling oddly comforted by the water between his fingers.

“I… I know you know about me and Haru,” Makoto says.

Haru turns off the sink, wiping his hands on the kitchen towel, and crossing the room. He sits beside Makoto, unsure if it would be worse to say something, or nothing at all.

“I know it must be confusing for you, and I’m really sorry you had to find out this way.” Makoto’s hands are shaking. Haru digs his nails hard into his palms.

“I want to say you should have told me,” Makoto’s mother says, “But… but I don’t know if I would have wanted to know.” She tries really hard to smile, but the tears are still streaming down her face.

“I’m sorry,” Makoto’s voice is tight, “I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to hurt either of you.” Makoto looks at Haru, finding whispers of comfort in his unwavering blue eyes. “But I won’t apologize for my relationship with Haru. Mom… Dad… I love him.”

There’s an excruciating silence. Makoto’s father swallows hard, looking at his wife. She takes his hand, running her thumb over his clenched fingers. “Haruka…” She looks at Haru directly, taking him by surprise.

“…Yes?” Haru replies. His voice sounds foreign in his own ears. He clears his throat.

“Haruka, do you love my son?”

Her voice is surprisingly sturdy, edging on forceful. She looks at him with such conviction, it reminds Haru he was never a son in her eyes, no matter how hard she tried. “Mom…” Makoto tries to interject, “that’s not-”

“Haruka, do you love my son?” She says again, ignoring Makoto, her eyes fixed on him.

“I… I do,” Haru says. He looks at Makoto, who’s face is as white as a ghost. “I love Makoto more than anything.” Haru has never been good about expressing how he feels. But he has always known how he felt about Makoto. He would do anything to protect Makoto. The black scales of Haru’s secondary eyelids begin to encroach on the whites of his eyes. He takes Makoto’s hand, holding it firmly in his own. “I would do anything for Makoto. I love him.”

Makoto’s face has shifted from sickly white to an embarrassed red. Makoto’s mother exhales slowly, turning to her husband, who finally speaks. “Makoto… You know your mother and I have always wanted the best for you. We raised you to make your own decisions and live your own truth.”

Makoto’s mother wipes the tears from her eyes, struggling with her shaking hands, “If this is what you want, that’s your choice.”

For a moment, Makoto is taken aback. “Do you really mean that?”

“A relationship… between you… and Haru… is dangerous,” She says, avoiding the question. “I… We… We don’t know if we can protect you.”

Makoto glances at Haru, “Well… we wanted to talk to you about that too.” Makoto’s parents look at each other. “Haru and I… are going to move out. We don’t want to cause you pain in your own home.”

Haru nods.

“Where are you going to go? How are you going to provide for yourselves?”

“Haru and I will figure that out for ourselves. Please. Mom… Dad… I know this is so much to ask of you, but please, let us do this.”

“That’s the choice you’ve decided to make?” Makoto’s father asks.

“It is,” Makoto says earnestly. “And I choose Haru."

**Author's Note:**

> As always, please leave a kudos/comment, to support me and my work!
> 
> Follow me @kawaiisumi on twitter for more!


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